Twist of Fate
by Elixir.BB
Summary: AU. Kind of. In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things. That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who knew that Darcy Lewis would be quite important in the years to come.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing. This is why I'm sad. _

_**Pairings**__: Darcy/Loki, Thor/Jane, mentions of Steve Rogers/Darcy. Others mentioned and alluded to. _

_**Summary**__: AU. Kind of. In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things. That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who knew that Darcy Lewis would be quite important in the years to come. _

_**A/N:**__ So…this is AU. Kind of. In that Darcy is actually Asgardian during the events in Thor. Hopefully it makes more sense as you read it. Mostly background for now but hopefully you all like it! Reviews are greatly appreciated!_

* * *

_Twist of Fate_

_Prologue_

* * *

In the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things. She is the girl who does not belong.

Her mother for all intents and purposes was a woman of Asgard. She was the daughter of a scholar and although they had no status, they were respected citizens. Despite the interest of several high-ranking men, the daughter of the scholar's interests was in another world. Midgard.

With blessing from Odin, the daughter of the scholar left the golden city behind to explore Midgard. She fell in love on Midgard. She found herself pregnant on Midgard. In the middle of the night, with her heart heavy and body weary, she turned in the arms of the man who would hand her the world if given the chance, gave him a kiss on the forehead and left their small dwelling quietly.

When she first came to Midgard she landed in a small city. The sun shining brilliantly and for the first time, she felt free. Despite her research on Midgardian customs, she was still the odd young woman who had literally dropped into the city without anyone knowing how. She met a man at the local market, who by appearances was a few years older than her. His bright blue eyes studying her inquisitively behind spectacles. His black hair wild with curls. He held out his hand and said with a shrug that he could show her around.

Without hesitation, she took his hand and promptly blushed when a spark ignited her very being. They were inseparable from then. He was an artist who saw the world through colors of paint on a canvas. She fell in love quickly. It was hard not to be. He was different than anyone she had ever met and he made her laugh outrageously loud and made her forget about her manners and Asgard. She stayed on Midgard for three years when she found herself pregnant.

He was ecstatic. Love and devotion brimming out of him. This made her love him even more. And then one day, she felt something was wrong. Something was wrong with _her_. Even though he insisted that she go to Midgardian healers, she knew that the only healers she trusted were in Asgard.

So, she left her mortal companion in bed and she walked deep into the desert, letting her eyes flit over everything she has come to know and love. He would be heartbroken when he woke, she knew this but she resolved to come back as soon as everything was deemed fine. She would come back to him and they would be a family and she would be happy.

She took a deep breath and called out to Heimdall. "Please." She begged. "I fear for the life of my child. Heimdall, _please_. I need to see an Asgardian healer." Within moments the Bifrost appeared and she walked into the home she abandoned years ago.

The journey between worlds proved to be too much and by the time she reached Asgard she collapsed in pain. Her father rushed to her side. "Father," she cried out. "It hurts. It hurts so much."

Frigga met her halfway, her eyes sad and her smile warm. She knew instantly what was happening. She gripped her father's arms. "Save her." She said through clenched teeth, "save her and name her Darcy Lewis. Do not question me." Another wave of pain flowed through her body and let out a loud scream. "_Please_."

In the end, the young woman who was born and raised in Asgard, who left a life she loved behind in Midgard, died in the golden city, the last thing she heard were the loud heart-wrenching cries of a newborn babe. A daughter. Darcy Lewis.

In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things.

That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who knew that Darcy Lewis would be quite important in the years to come.

* * *

She is four when she first meets him. He is easily seven years older than her. She knows who he is the first time she sees him. He barrels into her grandfather's study, a large book (much larger than he) in his hands. She sits cross-legged on her grandfather's chair a book about Midgard open in front of her.

He opens his mouth to speak but he stops short at the sight of her. "Who are you?"

"Darcy Lewis." She says proudly. (_"You are different my dear Darcy."_ Her grandfather would always say, "_you must be proud of who you are. Your mother would have wanted it so."_) Her grandfather never talks about her mother; it always makes him so sad.

"Darcy Lewis." He repeats the name and he frowns. "What an odd name. Where is the Scholar?"

"He's busy. Why?"

"None of your concern. Is that a book on _Midgard_? Why in the name of Odin would you want to read _that_?"

"I like it."

He narrows his eyes and snatches the book from her grasps. Her eyes prick with tears and she jumps off the chair. "No!"

"It's nonsense. Complete and utter drivel."

"You're…you're a cow!" Darcy spits at him. She gasps as soon as the word slips from her mouth and she covers it with a hand. He's royalty. He's the youngest Prince of Asgard and she just called him a _cow_. She may be young, but Darcy is smart beyond her years and she hears everything, especially about the teasing jests between the two brothers. She falls to her knees and starts sobbing. "Don't kill me!"

"Loki!"

Darcy looks up to see the Queen in all her glory standing in the doorway. She looks down at Darcy on her knees and sobbing and then at her son. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I called him a cow." Darcy blubbers before anyone is able to say anything, "please don't kill me!"

The Queen lets out a soft smile and gathers Darcy in her arms. She sets her on her feet and wipes her face with a cloth. "Darcy Lewis. I knew your mother once."

Darcy sniffles. "You did?"

She nods. "She loved you very much." She turns to look at Loki and she frowns at the book in his hand. "Loki, I did not know you were interested in Midgard."

He makes a face. "I'm not. It's hers."

She glances at Darcy and her eyes widen. "Oh, well, you truly well are your mother's daughter."

Darcy beams and then glances at Loki. "I'm sorry for calling you a cow."

"You should be." Loki retorts. He clears his throat at the look his mother throws him. "I apologize for stealing your book and calling it complete and utter drivel, even though it is."

"S'okay." She struggles to wrap her arms around him in a hug.

He tenses and awkwardly pats her head. He twists out of her embrace and runs out the door. The Queen follows but pauses and then looks at Darcy. "You are very important Darcy. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise, understand?"

"I understand."

(She doesn't. Not really.)

* * *

She sees him every now and then but it isn't until she is ten that she actually has another conversation with him. The Queen for some reason has allowed her all but free reign in the Palace but the place Darcy visits most often is the library. She scours books about different worlds but she will always, always find her way back to the books on Midgard. She's eager to read more today and so she bounds into the library with excitement igniting her very soul.

Then she stops when she sees a tall black-haired Prince. She stands awkwardly and then turns to leave.

"My mother warned me you would visit." He points to the direction of her collection of books. "I assume that atrocious mess is yours. Leave me be and I will permit you in here while I study."

She narrows her eyes at him at the thinly veiled insult. "However may I thank you?" She says sarcastically.

"By not talking." He replies.

Hours fly by and she is engrossed in texts about Midgard and sometimes texts about the history of Asgard. "Why do you hate Midgard so much?" She asks him.

He looks up at her and narrows his eyes. "It is a world full of mortals who know nothing about anything. You are wasting your time and energy pouring over those books. Father should have had them burned years ago."

She stares at the book in her hands. "I think it's beautiful."

"Then you are a bigger fool than I once thought."

She bites her tongue and doesn't say anything.

* * *

She still goes to the library and he's still there, studying. She once asks him why he's always in the library and not with his brother and others.

"Why would I want to waste my time with them when I can study?"

One day he asks her why she's in the library and not with anyone her age.

She answers him truthfully. "I don't have any friends."

* * *

Throughout the years, they strike up an odd friendship. She is no longer a child but rather a growing woman who tends to yield sarcasm as a weapon and is still obsessive of all things Midgardian. He is still the youngest Prince of Asgard who still scoffs at her fantasies of Midgard but they reach a common ground.

As the years fly by, Darcy finds herself edging closer and closer to his table in the library until suddenly, they are sharing a table and he is regaling her with tales of his brother.

She smiles and laughs and she ignores the fluttering of her heart.

She will not allow herself to fall in love with him. Because despite what the Queen ("_Frigga, Darcy. You may call me Frigga."_) tells her, Darcy _is_ a nobody. She's no one important and Loki is the youngest Prince of Asgard, which means he's someone important.

* * *

She is sixteen and had just fended off Fandral's incessant flirting. She's attending a ball in honor of Loki's birthday and Frigga all but demanded that she attend. She wasn't planning on attending but that afternoon in the library, Loki, quietly told her that he'd enjoy seeing her that evening.

She felt as though her heart would stop beating and all she managed was a nod.

She wore a deep red dress that used to be her mother's and made her grandfather promptly burst into tears.

She had to deal with her fair share of comments and leers but Fandral was the worst. When she turned to leave him stewing after her rejection, he grabbed her wrist in a powerful grip and spun her around and kissed her soundly on the lips. His teeth clashed against her lips and the pain that radiated made her gasp and she almost retched at the taste of blood. She pushed him violently off of her and slapped him soundly. Her palm stinging, she turned her face against the jeers and fled.

She didn't know where she was going until she got to the library. Sighing, she picked up a well-used book on Midgard and started reading.

Not even five minutes later, the door opened and Loki entered. "Fandral is being dealt with."

She sighs. "Oh, Loki." She's long since dropped the Prince and he's never reprimanded her otherwise. "It's fine." She runs her tongue over her bruised and cut lip. She fails to see Loki's eyes following her movement. "I dealt with him in my own way."

"Yes, but now he will deal with it _my_ way."

"You should be at your party. I'm certain the women will be falling over their feet to dance with you."

"It's boring and tedious." He replies. "Besides, why would I waste my time with them when I can study?"

"People are going to talk." She informs him.

He gives her a look as if to say _'I dare them.'_ She giggles and goes back to reading.

* * *

There is talk of unrest and war and even her grandfather is worried. Odin takes Loki with him to initiate peace between the realms. Darcy is sleeping in her bed when she hears his voice. "_Darcy…Darcy…please come_." She awakens immediately and runs out the house. It's dark but Darcy knows the path like she knows the books on Midgard.

She comes skidding to a halt at the Palace doors and the guards won't let her in. "You must. Please."

"Let her pass." The Queen says. She looks at her, worry etching her face. "He's in his room. Come, I will show you."

She follows the Queen quickly and comes to a stop in front of two large doors. There are healers coming in and out and Odin is pacing the length of the hallway with Thor, the Warriors Three and Sif waiting anxiously.

When Odin sees them he pauses and stares at her with his one good eye. "What are you doing here?"

"Loki called for her." The Queen answered and she turned her stare to her husband. "And I'm giving her permission to enter." She looks at her and her eyes soften. "Through the doors. He's hurt badly, but he will survive."

She nods and without a second glance at anyone else she slips into the room. The smell of blood assaults her senses but she reaches the large bed and stares down at the man on it. He's pale. Much paler than usual and she slides her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. "Darcy." He groans softly.

"I'm here." She whispers into his ear gently. "I'm here Loki."

"You're here?" He opens his green eyes and stares at her wildly. "You're here. You came."

"Always. Always Loki."

(She promises him always and it terrifies her how much she actually means it.)

* * *

After that night, they become inseparable. She is the keeper of his secrets. He is her best and only friend. She listens to everything he says. She listens him to rage about Sigyn and Sif and she wonders if he cares about the heartbreak he causes her. She doesn't say anything. She just runs her fingers through his hair and hopes that one day he will look at her the same way he looks at other women.

He makes her promise him over and over to never leave him and she does, without hesitation, she repeats that shewill_ never leave him_.

_I love you,_ she wants to scream. _I will love you forever and always._

She doesn't say anything. She never says anything.

* * *

She learns the truth that she is half Midgardian far too late in her life. She stares at her grandfather in shock and watches as he weeps about his failure. "Your mother loved you so much. I love you so much. Oh my Darcy, please forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive. You have given me everything I have ever needed and wanted." Suddenly, everything makes sense. Her fascination with Midgard suddenly _makes sense_. "Grandfather, please…allow me…I want to see Midgard."

"You are your mother's child. Promise me, you will return to me. I cannot bear to lose you."

Her stomach is fluttering. "I promise."

* * *

Loki is gone with Thor fighting in a war that Darcy has no part in when her grandfather tells her. She leaves for Midgard the next day. Her grandfather sees her off and oddly the Queen is there. She is wringing her hands and staring at Darcy with a sense of urgency. "Are you certain you want to go to Midgard?"

Darcy nods. "Yes. I will be back. I made a promise to my grandfather."

"Oh Darcy, I…" She falters.

"Tell Loki I will be back." Darcy whispers. Then she hugs her grandfather and nods to Heimdall. The Bifrost opens and she walks along a kaleidoscope of colors.

* * *

The year is 1942 and Midgard is in chaos. She is dropped in a large city with automobiles, telephones, electricity and…_everything_. She's in shock as she looks around with wide eyes. She's not looking where she's going and she steps out onto the street only to be pulled back roughly. She lets out a scream as an automobile honks by and she's suddenly staring into a pair of blue eyes.

He's smaller and much scrawnier than other males his age but his eyes are warm and they look worried. "Miss." He says, "you should really watch where you're going."

"I apologize." She says. "I didn't…I'm…I'm lost." She looks around. "Where am I?"

He frowns. "Miss, did you hit your head? Do you need to see a doctor? What's your name?"

She blinks. "Oh no, I'm fine, Truly. I just…this is all so fascinating. I've only ever read about it but to see it. Oh, it puts books to shame. My name is Darcy Lewis. May I ask yours?"

He grins and outstretches his hand, "Steve Rogers, Miss."

Her hand in his and the bustling city overwhelming her senses, Darcy doesn't hear the voice inside her head calling her. "_Darcy…Darcy…please come_."

* * *

She stays with Steve and his mother once they find out she has nowhere to go. She meets his best friend James "Bucky" Barnes and the two of them show her around. They tell her stories and make her laugh. The two are so different from one another; she almost wonders how they are best friends. Despite his plethora of health issues, Steve Rogers is incredibly loyal and Bucky is the same.

Steve attempts several times to enlist for the War but keeps getting denied. On his first attempt Bucky is accepted.

On her last night on Midgard, she climbs up the stairs to the roof where she knows Steve always likes to visit and sits down next to him. She grabs his hand and holds on tight. "War…is not what everyone makes it out to be. It is awful and I would hate to see you become so…jaded." She thinks of the warriors back home and knows that some, if not most, come out changed men. Sometimes not for the better.

"I want to do something good." He admits to her, his voice soft. "I want to be someone. I want to be anyone but me."

"You are perfect the way you are." She says truthfully. She has never, in her entire life, known someone so selfless, so utterly genuine as he is. "And you are someone. You are Steve Rogers and one day, the entire _world_ will know your name and will know that you are a very rare breed."

He lets out a laugh. "What do you mean?"

She lets out a small smile and kisses his cheek. "You are pure goodness in a world that is falling apart."

He gets up and holds his hand to help her up. She smiles at him softly. "I'm leaving tonight, Steve."

"Why?"

"I promised someone that I would go home. I cannot break my promise."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I hope so." She says earnestly. She is not surprised by how much she means it. She bites her lip and boldly leans forward to brush her lips against his in a soft sweet kiss. "Never forget me Steve Rogers."

"Never, Darcy Lewis."

He leaves the roof but she stays there until the sky turns black and then she calls for Heimdall.

* * *

She is exhausted but exhilarated as she greets her grandfather. She still feels the tingling sensation on her lips and she smiles brilliantly. She falls asleep as soon as she lays her head on her pillow.

The next day she goes to the library, fully intending to write about her own interactions on Midgard. Loki is there and he is furious when he sees her.

"I called for you."

"I didn't hear you." She tells him, her heart beating faster.

"You went to Midgard. You went to _Midgard?!_" His voice shakes the foundation of the room and his eyes are full with rage and fury. "Did you have _fun_?" He spits the word at her. "Was it everything you thought it would be? Completely dull and full of mere mortals who _dare_ pretend to be something _more_?"

She thinks of Bucky who is off fighting a war. She thinks of Steve and his full caring heart and despite his small stature, he means and does so much more than anyone else she has ever met. "They don't dare to pretend. They believe that they can be something more. You are so caught up in your hatred, you don't see the beauty of Midgard and the people who made me laugh until I cried and who held my hand and who let me kiss-" She trails off.

"Kiss?" His voice is cold and detached. "You've fallen for a _mortal_."

"I've not fallen for anyone. He is a friend. One who saved me and who took care of me and showed me kindness."

"And I suppose _I_ mean nothing to you. I suppose _I've_ never saved you? _I've_ never taken care of you?_ I_ never showed you kindness? _I_ have been with you every day and _you left me_! _You_ broke your promise!"

"_I love you_!" She shrieks at him. "I have loved you for so long Loki and yes, I was tired of waiting and then my grandfather told me of my father. My _Midgardian_ father I wanted to see it. I wanted to experience rather than read it and you weren't here. I wept for you but this is something I needed to do. But don't you dare ever tell me that I've broken my promise to you, because if anything, you broke it first."

He storms out of the library and Darcy sinks to the floor, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

(She longs for Midgard.)

* * *

Loki doesn't speak to her for quite some time. She spends more and more time at Heimdall's side.

"Heimdall…" She approaches him hesitantly.

"He has been accepted to fight along side his brothers in war." Heimdall tells her, his voice deep.

Darcy's breath hitches.

She keeps going back to get information about him.

One day she stops by the library before she goes to see Heimdall and stares at Loki as he waits in the middle of the room. "I don't wish to fight with you." She says.

"Nor I with you."

"I will not apologize for going to Midgard."

"I assumed you wouldn't."

"What do you want?"

He's silent. "I…Thor and his merry band of utter idiots are annoying and no where near my intelligence level. They vex me so."

She hears the words he doesn't say: _I miss you. I'm sorry. I'm a fool_.

She launches forward and hugs him tightly. "I've missed you too."

He wraps his arms around her and her entire body feels like it's exploding.

* * *

That night Heimdall tells her that Steve has undergone a dangerous experiment and he has changed.

She doesn't waste anytime and tells him to open the Bifrost.

She leaves Loki and everyone else behind without a word.

* * *

Steve has changed. Physically. But he's still the same Steve and when he sees her waiting for him in his room, he nearly yelps in surprise. Then he grabs her around the waist and crushes her body to his.

She hugs him tightly and breathes in his familiar scent.

"How are you even here?"

She leans forward and kisses him lightly on the lips. "I'm only here for a little bit." She sits down on his bed and holds out her hand for him to take. Her heart is beating fast and her blood is pumping through her veins. "Sit with me a little while?"

He sinks down next to her and Darcy leans forward until they're sharing the same breath and she doesn't know where he begins and she ends.

* * *

She slips out of his bed, kisses his forehead and adjusts her clothes.

She quickly goes up to the roof and calls Heimdall.

When she gets back to Asgard, Loki is waiting for her. His body tense and his eyes glowing.

He takes one look at her and bites back a snarl. "I thought you said you haven't fallen for anyone."

She can hear what he doesn't say: _I thought you said you love me_.

He leaves before she can say anything.

* * *

"We didn't do anything." She tells him. Not that she owes him any explanations. "He is a friend. A very good friend and Heimdall told me he underwent an experiment. I was worried. We kissed. We slept. That is all."

"You didn't tell me you were leaving."

"I came back. I'll always come back. I promise."

(This, she admits, is a promise she broke first).

* * *

Heimdall tells her that Steve Rogers, Captain America, is dead.

Darcy weeps. Loki runs his fingers through her hair.

* * *

They have sex the week after. It's late and they're in the library, surrounded by books. It feels wonderful. It's painful but he holds her and tells her that she's beautiful.

She has never loved anyone as much as she loves Loki.

(This will prove to be her downfall.)

* * *

Her grandfather dies. Darcy is alone. She wants to go back to Midgard. She wants to attend University. She wants to live like a mortal. She wants to see things the way they do.

Loki does not understand. They yell. Words are said that will never be taken back.

"You're just like your mother, an Asgardian just waiting to spread her legs for a mortal-" She slaps him hard enough to sting and hard enough for him to bleed.

She stares at him with hatred. "You are a monster and I regret ever loving you at all."

His face falls and her heart hurts at the lie that comes so easily from her mouth. _Isn't he supposed to be the God of Mischief and Lies? _She wonders idly. "I am leaving and I hope I never see you again." She turns around and leaves. She doesn't let him see the tears that fall down.

* * *

The Queen, Frigga, is with her when she leaves.

"I'm not important." Darcy tells her. "You once told me I am. I'm not."

She cups Darcy's cheeks in her hand and smiles sadly. "Oh my dear Darcy, you have no idea how important you are going to be." She kisses her forehead. "Do not forget us."

"Never." She bows her head and steps out of the embrace.

She nods at Heimdall and takes one last look at Frigga. There is a figure in the distance. Tall, pale, with black hair and green and gold armor, he's looking at her. His bright green eyes watching her every move. She knows what he wants. He wants he to call this entire thing off. She won't. She can't.

She walks on a kaleidoscope of colors and doesn't look back.

* * *

In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things.

That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who still sees the integral part Darcy Lewis will play in saving her son from complete and total darkness.

* * *

_Holy this is long. Necessary for the background but long. Hopefully you've all enjoyed it! Thank you all for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!_

_Thanks again and much love, _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing. This is why I'm sad. _

_**Pairings**__: Darcy/Loki, Thor/Jane, mentions of Steve Rogers/Darcy. Others mentioned and alluded to. _

_**Summary**__: AU. Kind of. In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things. That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who knew that Darcy Lewis would be quite important in the years to come. _

_**See bottom for A/N. Any mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance for them!**_

* * *

_Twist of Fate_

_Chapter 1_

* * *

The year is 2007 when Darcy lands on Midgard. She's not in the same city as she was before and Darcy finds that she doesn't particularly care. This city is much more subdued and she likes it the moment she lands in the desert. The air is stifling and the sun is hot but Darcy wouldn't have it any other way.

It's going to be hard, this she knows. She's only been to Midgard for a substantial amount of time once, but Darcy welcomes the challenge. In fact, she relishes the challenge.

With one hand shielding her eyes from the brightly colored sun, she waves her other hand in a salute to the sky. She'll miss Asgard, of course she will (her heart still hurts when she thinks about Loki, but she tries _so hard_ not to think about him), but there is something calling her here. Luring her out of the desert and into the city that she'll call her home.

(She doesn't even know the name of her so-called home until she sees it on a sign that she passes. _Welcome to New Mexico_!)

Darcy lets out a breath and a small smile.

* * *

Turns out Midgard is still in chaos, but it's a different sort of chaos. They're in another war, (which, if Darcy is honest, doesn't surprise her) and she sees the pride Midgardians have in their warriors. In their soldiers. She smiles at the people she passes and takes in her new surroundings. She can feel her skin start to blister from the sun and the heat but she waves it off. (It's all part of the experience, isn't it?)

It's too easy for her to gain admittance into the University of New Mexico and she sends up a little _thank-you_ to Frigga who she knows is constantly watching her, ensuring her safety and happiness and when it comes time to move into her dorms, she finds herself filled with a sense of excitement. (This is her new start. This is her chance to finally find a place where she belongs.)

Her roommate is a small girl with brown eyes and brown hair. She's quiet when Darcy first meets her and definitely shy. She looks at Darcy with a hesitant smile and promises that she is a _no muss no fuss_ type of person and that she's probably going to be up at weird hours of the night studying biology.

Darcy likes her instantly.

Her name is Bobbi Morse and Darcy has a feeling they're going to be great friends.

* * *

The thing with Midgardian education is that there are so many options. _So many options_. So, Darcy picks English Literature first, with an emphasis on Norse Mythology because, well…she's interested in seeing what Midgardians have to think and say about her people.

The stuff she reads is horrifying and quite possibly scarring. She almost wishes she could send the book dedicated to The God of Mischief and Lies to Loki, just to see his reaction, but she has a feeling that he'd do everything within his power to obliterate Midgard. She doesn't want to add any more fuel to the fire that is his hatred of anything and everything Midgardian.

She lasts a year and a half with that as her major before she switches to Biology. Bobbi is surprised and pleased. Within the month, both of them are _not _surprised and _definitely_ pleased when Darcy opts out of Biology and instead enters into Political Science.

She likes Political Science better. She has a better head for it and listening to Loki complain about the _petty little minds of other Kings and Queens in the Realms_, she finds that she has a sort of realism when it comes to solving problems. She impresses her professors and agitates some of her fellow classmates.

Not that Darcy cares. Darcy learned quickly that not every person she would meet on Midgard would be as selfless as Steve or as nice and genuine as Bobbi, which is why she adopted a sarcastic and witty persona quite quickly and quite easily. (She refuses to think who she modeled her personality after. He haunts her enough as it is.)

After an incident including a drunken frat boy and his incapability to understand the word _no_, (until she_ forced_ him to understand it with her knee in a rather _delicate_ part of his body), Darcy bought a weapon. A taser. Bobbi's eyes nearly popped out of her head and she told Darcy that she was not, under any influence, allowed to experiment on her.

Darcy, of course frowned. Honestly, sometimes Midgardians sucked the fun out of everything.

* * *

Max Danton comes into her life unexpectedly. He's tall with blonde hair, blue eyes and freckles adorning his body. He's studying Journalism and they meet in the library. He stutters when he sees her and she finds it completely endearing. (Bobbi completely adores him and constantly tells her that they make a fantastic couple.)

Darcy sometimes can't help but agree. He's attentive to her. He's aware of her but he never crowds her. She can sometimes talk fast and most of the time _she_ doesn't even know what she's talking about, but he'll look at her like she's his entire world and she gives up talking and just gives into_ him_.

(The first time she and Max have sex, a severe thunderstorm suddenly touches down and doesn't let up for _hours_ and in her heart of hearts, she knows that Loki has goaded Thor into a fight that the results are, quite literally, explosive. This tends to happen every time she and Max have sex.)

Of course, all good things come to an end sooner or later. Max graduates before Darcy and he accepted a position with Chicago Tribune. They part on good terms and she'll miss him, of course she will. He promises to stay in touch and she promises to never forget him. (She can never forget the people she meets, they leave an indent on her soul.)

The next person to leave is Bobbi. Beautiful, shy and quiet Bobbi was scouted by a government organization to work with them in New York City. She's not allowed to tell Darcy the specifics but Bobbi is more excited about having an actual proper lab just for herself than anything else.

Then Darcy is left alone.

* * *

Darcy is alone in her dorm room, chewing on the end of a pen and staring at the stack of applications before her. Max and Bobbi have graduated and left her and if Darcy wants to leave University, she needs six more credits. Six credits she can get doing an internship. She doesn't waste any time in applying to any and all.

Spring is finally blooming into summer and the weather is starting to get more humid. She sits on her bed in one of Max's button-up shirts that he left with her (okay, so she _stole_ it but she was always partial to it, he _knew_ that) and socks pulled up mid-calf. She thinks she looks ingenious and Max always commented on how all she needed were the sunglasses. (She understands that comment with glee and proudly thinks about how she's assimilated herself into Midgardian society with such ease.)

She's going through application after application which is why she's so surprised when someone appears in her room.

It's _Loki_. _Of course it's Loki_. He's in his armor but without his helmet and all she can do is stare at him, pen hanging limply from her lips.

Then suddenly his hands are in her hair, burying deep and just a little rough and she's pressed against him, the cool metal making her shiver. He's desperate and it scares her a little because she has never _ever_ seen him like this before. "Loki." She says, detaching herself from his lips (_Sweet Odin his lips_) and pulling away from him.

"Do not." He commands, pulling her against him righter. Then he looks at her, green eyes swirling with emotions that she can't understand or even comprehend. She wants to cry for him, she wants to weep for the sadness that is etched in his entire being. "Do not leave me again. Darcy…" He says her name quietly, reverently, as if it's a prayer. "Darcy…_please_."

It's the first time she has ever heard him say please and can feel her heart breaking. She nods and gives in to him. (She'll always give into him.)

His body is cold. Colder than she remembers and she frowns, "why are you so cold?" She gasps out.

He shakes his head violently, body trembling. "Say it again." He orders her. "Say it again, Darcy."

She doesn't have to ask what he wants her to say. She's always knows with him. "I love you." She says it quietly.

His head drops into the space between her neck and shoulder and he peppers her with kisses. He never says the words back but with Loki actions always did speak louder.

* * *

He's gone when she wakes up.

That afternoon she's offered the position to work with Jane Foster, an astrophysicist in Puente Antiguo, New Mexico.

She says _yes_ automatically.

And then she remembers that she _didn't apply_ for that position.

She doesn't question it.

(She should have.)

* * *

Jane Foster is as beautiful as she is brilliant. She is absolutely utterly clueless about everything that doesn't have to do with astrophysics.

It's in the middle of her internship that things start taking turns for the weirder. She never truly understood what Jane would talk about before, catching some of it, not all of it, but then she's talking about shifting stars and occurrences in the sky and a _bridge_ and Darcy feels a lump in her throat. The Bifrost. She's talking about the _Bifrost_.

She doesn't know what to do, so instead, she does what she does best. She says nothing.

* * *

Doctor Erik Selvig shares an exasperated glance with Darcy in the their cramped _bus_, which is really what it is, it's a _small bus_, as Jane flits around in a hurry, talking fast.

Then the sky opens and it's so familiar it makes Darcy's heart ache but it also makes her wonder. _Who is here? Who is coming?_ She hasn't heard from Loki for months and she's afraid to even think his name. (He's left his etchings on her soul enough times; she doesn't need him to add another one.)

Jane tells her to hurry and drive. She does, grumbling all the way and then she hits something. _Someone_. She tries to placate herself that if this person really is from Asgard then the force of the moving vehicle would likely not even scratch him. Or her. Them. _Whatever_.

She has her taser out before she's even out of the vehicle. Jane is frantic. Eric is shocked. Darcy's stomach bottoms out as a familiar blonde Prince stands up. She can feel her mind go blank. Utterly and completely blank. She doesn't comprehend what's being said. She's hardly even paying attention. Then his gaze flickers to her and there is recognition in his eyes. He opens his mouth and Darcy reacts without thinking.

She tasers him and she knocks him unconscious.

Huh. So a moving vehicle does nothing to him but a_ taser_ does. Midgardian contraptions are _so interesting_.

Then she realizes that Thor, eldest _Prince of Asgard_, is_ here_. On _Midgard_.

_No good_, she thinks wildly, _no good. Loki, what have you done?_

The stars don't even twinkle in response.

* * *

_Hi there! OMG YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. I just wanted to let you all know that. So…what do you think? I know, I know, I'm taking creative liberties to what is probably a blasphemy level but I couldn't help it. I love Bobbi! Seriously, love her. So, I wanted to incorporate her somehow. She comes back in later chapters, I promise! What did you all think of it? Like it? I hope you all enjoyed it! If I got anything wrong, I apologize greatly!_

_Onto my __**KICK-ASS AWESOME REVIEWERS**__: __**kuran1, Anna Marcia Gregorio, Guest, Potix, The Yoshinator, interiris**__, and __**lililoop.**__ You guys are awesome and I love you. I also LOVE everyone who has read/alerted/subscribed. You guys are amazing, Seriously so. _

_So, hopefully you all enjoyed and like always, reviews are greatly appreciated!_

_Thanks again and much love!_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing. This is why I'm sad. _

_**Pairings**__: Darcy/Loki, Thor/Jane, mentions of Steve Rogers/Darcy. Others mentioned and alluded to. _

_**Summary**__: AU. Kind of. In the eyes of everybody and in the grand scheme of things, Darcy Lewis is a nobody. She's not important. She has no place in the grand design of things. That is, in the eyes of everybody except for Frigga, who knew that Darcy Lewis would be quite important in the years to come. _

_**Semi-important A/N at bottom. Any mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance for them! Reviews are my life and true love. Just like you guys!**_

* * *

_Twist of Fate_

_Chapter 2_

* * *

Darcy feels bad for tasing him. She thinks it has to do with the years of viewing him as the Prince (to-be-King) of Asgard. If Darcy did this is Asgard, she'd face immediate death. (She knows though that Loki would find some way to get her out of it.)

Nevertheless, she knew he recognized her. She knew what he was going to say and Darcy has worked too _hard_, she's created a new life for herself _outside_ of Asgard, to have it ruined by a Prince.

She follows Jane and Erik as they come to a stop in front of the Reception desk. _Right_. They have to fill out his information. Not that they know any of it. Well, Darcy knows some, if not most of it, she decides not to say anything. Plausible deniability and all that.

She vaguely wonders about intergalactic healthcare. She chuckles inwardly to herself. Oh yeah, she's_ really_ tired.

"His name?" The nurse asks them.

"He said his name is Thor." Jane answers, looking at Erik and Darcy for confirmation. Darcy nods quickly. She can tell that Jane is starting to freak out. Or she could just be strung out. The astrophysicist really needs to get some sleep. Darcy knows she'll just make a pot of coffee and drink it all. Without even sharing. _Pfft, rude_.

"T-H-O-R. His last name?"

_Odinson_. Darcy thinks to herself. Instead, the three of them share looks and shrugs.

Jane sighs, "Okay look, we don't actually _know_ him. We just…met him."

Darcy chuckles, "she hit him with her car."

Jane glares, "she tased him."

Huh. She really did, didn't she? She grins, bites her lip and looks the other way. "Yes. Yes I did." (She wonders what Loki's reaction would be if he ever finds out about this. He'd probably laugh until tears stream down his cheeks.)

She misses him.

* * *

_Thor would never willingly come to Midgard,_ Darcy thinks to herself, _Earth_, she amends a moment later. Which means that something must have happened. Something big. The fact that he's passed out and Mjölnir is nowhere in sight gives some sort of clue but not much. She hasn't been to Asgard in nearly four (Earth) years. Hasn't ever wanted to go back but she's never felt so isolated than she's feeling now.

Despite feeling that Asgard doesn't hold a place for her anymore, _sometimes_, her heart will still yearn for the golden city. She'll ache to once again step inside the library and breathe in the scent of thousand-year-old books. She wants to see Loki every single day, not just the off chance of him coming, claiming her, leaving her breathless and then disappearing. She aches for the days that they would lounge in the library and when Darcy was under the impression that maybe-just _maybe_-he could see her as more than a mere companion but as a _woman_. As a potential _partner_.

(She's had him a few times and every time he leaves his mark on her. He punctures her very soul and burns his essence into her.)

Thinking of Loki makes her think of Thor and then makes her think of this _entire_ situation. She knows that Loki's relationship with Thor is a tumultuous one but he loves his older brother. Just like she knows that Thor loves him. Whatever harebrained (Loki's words, not hers) scheme Thor and friends would find themselves in, Loki would be there to pull them out. He would support Thor through everything and Thor, as often as he could, would return the favor. All of this, all of _everything_ Darcy has ever known and seen of the two brothers, would make it seem that Loki would come and _get_ his brother.

But he hasn't come. Thor is in the hospital, obviously without powers, for reasons that Darcy _still_ doesn't know of and Loki is nowhere to be seen._ Something's wrong. Something is very wrong. _

Odin himself would have been tearing the Nine Realms to get his son and heir to the throne back to Asgard…unless..._no_. Darcy refuses to think it. She's heard of banishment yes, but only for the most heinous of crimes and even then, most Asgardians would prefer death. For an _Æsir_ to be banished and stripped of his powers…_oh Thor, oh Loki, what's happened?_

"What do you see?" Jane asks Erik eagerly, effectively snapping Darcy out of her daze.

Darcy realizes then that she's been staring at the same photo ever since they walked into the lab.

"Stars, Jane." Erik says, exasperated. "I see stars."

"But not ours. Look." She holds up two pieces of paper and shows them to Erik. "This one is ours, this one isn't."

Darcy is staring at a photo on the board and it's glows orange and red but that's not what has caught her eyes. No, it's the figure inside of it. _Is this what it looks like?_ _So…trippy._

"Jane." Erik says, "You're crazy. Do you even know what you're suggesting?"

"Whoa." Darcy breathes. Sometimes,_ sometimes_, her breath is taken away by everything her people can do and all that Midgardians cannot comprehend. Although, she supposed that Midgardians are her people now. Asgardians are people she used to know. Asgard, a place in her mind that is becoming distant and blurry, falling towards the edge, as if it were nothing but a dream. A fanciful creation born out of boredom and way too much science fiction and fantasy. "You guys need to look at this."

She knows that this will blow Jane's mind and she knows that Erik will come to terms with it sooner or later (she's banking on the _much_ sooner.)

Jane takes a moment to look at it and then she gasps. Her eyes becoming steely and determined. She turns away.

"Where are you going?" Erik calls after her.

"We left something at the Hospital."

"I really do hope you mean _thing_ and not _one_." Erik tells her. He grabs the edge of Darcy's sleeve and drags her along. "Come on, kid. If she's determined to take me down, I'm taking you down too."

Darcy sputters. "Thanks Erik. Thanks."

He smiles at her and than eyes her bag. "You've got your taser, right?"

"Never go anywhere without it."

"Good. Something tells me you'll probably need to use it again."

* * *

She doesn't need to use it again because as it turns out, Thor pitched a hissy fit of epic proportions. As in, major damage repair, epic proportions. She thinks she may have to remind him that he's _not_ in Asgard anymore and things are _not_ built to withstand the God of Thunder and his incredible size and girth. He'd probably just laugh at her.

Jane is bemoaning their luck. "We have to find him." She says. She puts the car in reverse and Darcy takes out her taser. Then Jane hits something.

The three of them scramble out of the van and look at Thor on the ground, unconscious, by being hit by the same car twice. _Dude just doesn't have any luck,_ Darcy thinks. Then she looks at Jane. "That was_ so_ your fault."

"Not helping." Jane hisses, "come on, we have to get him in the back."

Erik groans. "I'm getting too old for this."

* * *

Thor wakes up while they're driving back to lab which, _let's be honest_, both she and Erik breathe out a sigh of relief, because they definitely did _not_ want to carry him out of the van. He's groggy and agitated and still unfamiliar with his surroundings. He still looks at her and still opens his mouth to say something, _anything_, but Darcy is one step ahead of him, always shaking her head vigorously.

Even though, she's heard Loki call his brother _simple-minded_ more than once, Thor understands her message and _shuts the hell up_. Which Darcy is forever thankful for.

They get back to the lab and Darcy immediately takes her seat at the table.

"We need to get you new clothes." Jane mutters. "Clothes, clothes. Where can I get him clothes without being suspicious?"

"What about Donnie's old stuff?" Darcy asks her. _Oh Donnie_. She remembers Donnie. He was good-looking. A bit of an asshole but good-looking. Jane loved him once upon a time. Than she got angry with his hot-and-cold routine. They broke up. Amicably. Jane's perfectly okay with how it ended.

"I put his stuff in storage."

_Or maybe not so okay with it. _

"Jane and I will go to storage and get clothes. Darcy…are you okay here by yourself? It'll only be for fifteen minutes, maximum." Erik tells her.

Darcy nods, takes her taser of out of her bag and places it on the table. "Oh, I'm sure we'll be just fine."

They leave and it isn't until she sees the monstrosity of a van pull away that she turns to Thor. "Alright buddy, you and I? Yeah, we _so_ need to talk."

* * *

"You started a war with Jötunheimr." Darcy states after Thor gives her the short version of what happened. "Are you_ insane_?"

"It was the right thing to do." Thor says, his voice echoing throughout the lab.

Darcy snorts, "obviously _not_, seeing as how your _father-The Allfather-_has _banished_ you. Jesus Christ, Thor!"

"Who is this Jesus Christ?" He asks curiously.

Darcy pinches the bridge of her nose. "I'm not getting into this with you right now. We'll talk religion and existentialism later. You. Do. Not. Know. Me."

"Of course I know you." Thor argues, crossing his arms over his chest. "I have seen you many times with Loki in Asgard. You are Asgardian."

Oh, her heart hurts at the mention of Loki.

"But I'm not." She tells him softly. "I'm half. My father was Midgardian." She takes a deep breath and looks around the lab, "this…_this_ is my home now. I've created a_ life_ here Thor." She won't feel bad about ditching the royal title, because for all intents and purposes, he's on _her_ turf now. "And Midgard-_Earth_-it's beautiful. The people, the places, everything about this place surpasses everything you could have _imagined_. Everyone just thinks I'm this quirky political science student with zero knowledge of what I'm doing with my life and that's how I want it." She fiddles with her fingers. "Thor, please. I'm _begging _you, I know this is hard for you, I know it is but you cannot, under any circumstances, let it be known that I _haven't_ lived here my entire life."

"This is a foreign land." Thor tells her. "You are the only familiar face I know."

Her heart thuds against her chest. She knows it's difficult but Darcy has worked too hard for everything she has now to let it be blown out of the water because Thor wants to talk to a familiar face. "Thor…I _can't_. Our kind…Asgardians, the Nine Realms, only those who specialize in it know that it _exists_. I'm _human_. I_ like_ being human. Please don't take my home away from me." _It's the only thing I have anymore. _

"You are a formidable woman, Darcy Lewis. I can see now why my brother chose to spend his time with you."

Her breath catches in her throat. "Thor…about Loki…how is he?" _Did he find someone else to talk to? Was he alone? Has he fallen in love at all? Did he ever talk about me?_

Thor lifts his head and stares at her. "He…has not been the same."

"How?" She asks, desperation hanging on her voice.

"'_How'_ what?" Jane asks, a box in her arms as she and Erik come through the doors.

_Oh God,_ she didn't even hear them. She clears her throat. "How can he be so cut? I mean seriously, _hello GQ_."

Jane shakes her head and thrusts a shirt and pair of jeans at him.

After Thor pulls on the clothes, he looks at himself in the mirror and rubs his stomach. "These mortal bodies are weak. I require sustenance."

Jesus, she doesn't think she, Jane and Erik combined have enough income to fully satisfy Thor.

She thrusts a box of pop tarts at him. He inhales them and demands more.

_Gluttony, thy name is Thor._

* * *

_Asgard_

He has a feeling, a deep twisted feeling inside of him that he knows why he turned blue instead of getting burned like Volstagg. He doesn't want to acknowledge it. Doesn't want to even _think_ about it, but he does. It turns out that it's all he can think about and Loki has always been very curious.

He studies the casket in front of him. It glows blue, just like his skin did before. He grasps the edges with surprisingly steady hands and lifts it. Everything happens at once. He can feel the changing in his skin, in his bones, in his eyes. He knows that if he were to look in a mirror, they would be a shade of crimson red. (He vaguely wonders if Darcy would have him like this. If she would accept him _looking_ _like this_.)

"STOP!" His father (is he though, is he really?) shouts.

"Am I cursed?" Loki wonders aloud. He can see his blue skin and he hopes and prays that it is indeed just a curse, because curses can be fixed most of the time. Loki would_ find_ a way to fix this, but genetics…he cannot fix that.

"What am I?" He places the casket down, his back still facing his father. He doesn't want him to see him like this.

"You are my son." Odin answers wearily.

There is a pang inside his chest. He pushes it away. He turns around and wills his body to return to normal. It does.

"The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jötunheimr that day was it?"

Then his father (Odin) explains it to him and everything becomes so clear. Everything he has ever known has been a lie. He's not Odin's son. He's Laufey's son. _Laufeyson_. Oh, he feels sick. He feels twisted. There is an anger so permeable that etches throughout his entire being.

"Why did you take me?" He asks. It doesn't make any sense. If Odin had any sense at all he would have killed him all those centuries ago. If Odin had any sense, he would have told Loki his true heritage. Instead, the lie festered and Loki was made to believe that he was _Æsir_. Lies. Lies. _Lies_. He is the God of Mischief and Lies. It only seems fitting that his entire life be one giant lie too. "There must have been a purpose." Odin doesn't say anything and the sinking feeling in his stomach returns. "TELL ME!" He roars. He cannot take any more lies. Not today. Not now.

"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance. Bring about a permanent peace. Through you."

Loki can feel his face fall. He can feel everything he has ever known, ever cherished, bottom out from beneath him. Then he thinks of a young woman, with blue eyes and hair as black as night. He thinks of her laugh and the way she responds to his touch. He thinks of the way she loves him wholly and completely and then he thinks of how she left him (not really though, Darcy Lewis could never leave him.) If things had gone differently, he would have never met her. He would never know what she tastes like, what she feels like. "So," Loki says, his voice rough and he can feel an unwanted tear stream down his cheek, "I am nothing more than a stolen relic." He pauses and then speaks again, "you could have told me the truth." _Everything could have been avoided if you had just spoken the truth to the God of Lies._

The anger, the hurt, the desperation, the loathing bursts inside of him. He's brimming with hatred and contempt and he wants nothing more than to see this man brought to his knees before him. Loki wants to laugh hysterically. He wants to scream and he wants to_ kill_, just so Odin could feel what he's feeling. "I am the monster parents tell their children." He thinks of Darcy again, she's infiltrating his mind and he wants to rip her memory away from him.

It's all so clear now, why Odin favored Thor. Because he is his son. Loki isn't. Loki is a monster. Odin made him a monster.

Then Odin crumples and closes his eyes.

Something is pulling at him, an emotion he cannot (_will not_) name. "Guards! Guards, help!" He knows Odin has fallen into Odinsleep.

After Odin is taken away, Loki stays rooted in his spot.

Odin has fallen. Thor is banished. A twisted smirk crosses his face, his heart blackens and his mind begins to plan. And he, _Loki,_ will rise.

(In the deep recesses of his mind, he hears a familiar laugh that belongs to a familiar young woman with familiar blue eyes and familiar hair as black as night. _Darcy_, he thinks, _Darcy. You left me_.)

(He wonders idly what she would think of him now.)

* * *

_So…I've been shitty. Want to know why? Because I won't lie to you. Sherlock/Molly, over in the Sherlock BBC fandom have taken over my life and I am ashamed to admit that this story has taken a backburner. But DO NOT FEAR! Because this story is back. And hopefully will kick ass. If it doesn't…that's completely my fault, lol._

_I've got some explaining to do: I've mapped out this story. Chapters and all! In total, if everything goes to plan, there should be six (at most eight) chapters. They will be long. I am telling you this now, lol. I hope you guys like long chapters. The reason for this is because I'm a lazy person. Unfortunately. I have this obsession with keeping things under ten chapters when it comes to writing because if I don't, then I lose interest. Which is a horrible thing to admit, but I just needed to let you guys know that chapters will be updated in the very near future (I will not abandon this story again or you guys again!) and they'll most likely be long. _

_A very smart very awesome reviewer asked a question about whether or not Darcy has any powers and I am ashamed to admit that aspect never crossed my mind. However; since it was brought up, I've been thinking and my answer is no, I don't think she does. For the main reason that she's half-human and moreover she accepts her human side over her Asgardian side. She bleeds the same way humans do, she is injured the same way. She's just as susceptible to mortality but I suppose it would take a much stronger force to kill her. So, that is my answer. I hope this clears things up and I apologize so so much for not thinking about it beforehand. _

_Your guys' advice and support means so much to me and I am so so sorry that I've been AWOL with this story. NO MORE I SAY, NO MORE! _

_Onto to my _**KICK ASS REVIEWERS WHOM I LOVE GREATLY**_:__** 4UISUN2, lililoop, The Yoshinator, Guest, Plays in Moonlight, EgyptianAssassian, MaesterKinoc, NoControl, yueyuuko, Chuuulip **__and __**crooney83**__. If I missed anyone, I apologize greatly! I seriously love you all. Also _**HUGE SHOUTOUT**_ to everyone who has read/favorited/alerted/subscribed. You guys are awesome!_

_Thanks again and much love!_


End file.
